SURF announces 2022 Davis-Bahcall Scholars

The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) has announced the 2022 Davis-Bahcall Scholars. The program is a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expense-paid opportunity that connects science-curious students with peers and mentors while exploring the modern world of STEM research.

“The Davis-Bahcall program introduces students to a variety of STEM disciplines and can be helpful to them in deciding on their major in college,” said Brianna Mount, associate professor of physics at Black Hills State University (BHSU). “It comes at a point in their education where they are choosing their future career path. It’s a critical time because they get exposed to many different disciplines and learn early in their education what professionals do every day, whether in science, engineering or another STEM field.”

This year’s Davis-Bahcall Scholars are Ellie Breidenbach, a senior at Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School; Preston Drew, a senior at Custer High School; Stirling Wallace, a senior at Rapid City Stevens High School; Bailey May, a senior at Bennett County High School; Liam Thomassen, a senior at O’Gorman High School; Kaitlyn Gehrels, a freshman at Augustana University; Katie Pedneau, a freshman at BHSU; and Brody Leisinger, a senior at Highmore-Harrold High School.

“When I tell people I am going into physics, they always ask me what I am going to do with that. My answer to them is, ‘Change the world.’ The Davis-Bahcall program is the start of me doing just that!” said Breidenbach.

Designed to help rising university freshmen and sophomores entering STEM fields develop an understanding of where their passions could take them, the program demystifies these subjects by exposing students to what professionals do every day.

“All my life I have always wanted to explore topics that haven’t been answered yet,” said Pedneau. “I have always wanted to discover, explore and research topics that I’m interested in, and hopefully one day be able to discover something new in the universe we live in.”

Scholars will spend three weeks exploring leading national and international laboratories and universities in the Black Hills, across the Midwest and in Chicago, Illinois.

“I live in a small town and have had little travel outside of it,” said Leisinger. “I signed up for this program to see new things and open my eyes to the scientific community.”

Since 2009, 140 students have participated in SURF’s Davis-Bahcall Scholars Program. The program is named in honor of Dr. Ray Davis Jr. and Dr. John Bahcall. Davis, who built his experiment at the 4850 Level of the Homestake Mine, received the Nobel Prize in 2002 for his groundbreaking solar neutrino research. What began as a physics-oriented learning experience has evolved to include students with interests in a variety of STEM fields.

First PREMIER Bank and the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority are major sponsors of the program. The program is also supported by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium and BHSU. Learn more about the Davis-Bahcall Scholars Program.